Most people don’t make bad decisions.

They make good bets that lose, then rewrite history to protect their ego...

https://www.joanwestenberg.com/p/life-isn-t-chess-it-s-poker

@IveyJanette Sending good thoughts. Your posts are inspiring.

A very short blogpost on bare minimal social media presence for academics. With links to more info if you need it, but probably you don't.

https://joanna-bryson.blogspot.com/2025/11/advice-on-minimal-academic-social-media.html

#academicChatter #PhD

Source: Virginia Tech

Aggression and self-harm often co-occur in individuals with a history of early-life trauma—a connection that has largely been documented by self-reporting in research and clinical settings.

Adding to this connection, individuals treated for self-inflicted injuries are five times more likely to engage in excessive aggression.

https://neurosciencenews.com/trauma-aggression-self-harm-29901/

#article #neuroscience #virginiatech #Studies #trauma #earlychildhoodtrauma #mentalhealth

"Appalachian Power... is proposing more than a 20% reduction in electricity costs... The reason... is a combination of lower fuel costs and greater adoption of renewable energy". Clean energy = cheap energy, because if you don't burn fuel, you don't pay for fuel. https://cardinalnews.org/2025/11/03/letting-the-market-lead-how-cost-effective-renewables-can-save-consumers-money/

An inspiring story of hope, resilience, and the power of education. "Elimisha Kakuma, which provides Kakuma, Kenya Refugee Camp students the opportunity to attend universities such as Virginia Tech. Without access to college, these young people would remain trapped inside the camp, and the world would be deprived of their talent and light."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qULcPOVbl4&list=PLb4Ti-6FtGEfvsu2hGe2dyd6lVPPu8sno

#VirginiaTech #UtProsim #kakuma #refugeecamp #nonprofit #refugeesupport #collegeaccess

Gladys Mae West (née Brown; born October 27, 1930) is [a Black] American mathematician. She is known for her contributions to mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth, and her work on the development of satellite geodesy models, that were later incorporated into the Global Positioning System (GPS).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladys_West

#blackwomen #blackpeople #blackamerican #blackmathematicians #blackmastodon

Sometimes writing an article feels like decorating a Christmas tree 🎄.

Writing the article with old and new comments from others, you yourself are transforming your tasteful silver, blue, white lighted tree to a bright coloured flickering lights, blue birds, orange ribbons, green stars, with candy ornaments.

Where at some point someone asks you what the theme is of your tree… 😳

So, now I am redecorating my article a little 😊

#academicchatter #PhDlife

Great to see Vincent Racaniello at Virginia Tech. He gave a great talk on his career and the importance of science communication.

If you haven't seen his podcast on virology, check it out !

https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/

#virology #microbiology #scicomm

We need comprehensive policies to improve the work environment for early-career researchers, say researchers Sanna Bergvall & colleagues. In a new longitudinal population study they show how PhD studies negatively affect mental health. Institutional factors matter: PhD students struggle most with their mental health when the time to graduation is longer, faculty-student ratios are lower & women are underrepresented.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.103070

#AcademicMastodon #PhDLife #MentalHealth #NotJustSad

The SPARK Society has a new (I think) option to automatically renew one's $25/year subscription that helps the Society "give scientists of color the tools to become innovators in the cognitive sciences." https://www.sparksociety.org/

#OSCanada First Canadian Conference on Open Science and Open Scholarship kicks off! Streaming online now.

@dannotdaniel @Alice

Please watch Tampopo, a Japanese noodle western. It is hysterically funny.

https://sabukaru.online/articles/tampopo-the-first-noodle-western

#noodles #japaneseMovie #tampopo

Here’s a recent, in-depth story about #FreeDC from The 19th. https://19thnews.org/2025/08/free-dc-women-founded-movement-trump-military-takeover/

Impressed? Consider helping them protect the District of Columbia. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mastodonfreedc

My commute home from work. #ebike #ebikes #blacksburgva #huckleberryTrail #virginiatech

Ice discs slingshot across a metal surface all on their own. VA Tech experiment was inspired by Death Valley's "sailing stones" at Racetrack Playa, which migrate via a similar mechanism (albeit much more slowly). https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/08/ice-discs-slingshot-across-a-metal-surface-all-on-their-own/

Add your name to the petition demanding Congress pass legislation requiring all immigration agents to clearly display their agency and name or badge number—just like other local law enforcement are required to do. https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/unmask-ice?source=web-share-api-button&utm_source=web_share_api&share=799a088a-17ee-4626-b122-eca10915d318

@darthbluesky.bsky.social

https://roanokepinball.org

Meet the winners of the 2025 #DanceYourPhD contest
It's time again to honor the winners of the annual Dance Your PhD contest, where eager young scientists attempt to convey the concepts of their doctoral theses through dance.
There are four broad categories—physics, chemistry, biology, and social science—liberally defined. https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/05/meet-the-winners-of-the-2025-dance-your-phd-contest/
#PhD #PhDLife #PhDChat

1,500 commuting miles on my #blix #ebike. Not a lot for serious bikers but a lot for an old lady who hadn’t ridden a bike in 30 years (and not for transportation in 40). Of course, the bike path helps a lot.